By Don Rush
Assistant Publisher
While Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel was listening to parents concerned about the schools boards actions in regards to the Nov. 30 shootings at the Legacy Center, the Oxford School Board had a special meeting of their own.
Much of the three hour meeting included over an hour of closed session, and an hour of Oxford High School principal Steven Wolf about the district, “responding the events of November 30.”
“This is not every bit of detail,” Wolf told the board, “But this will cover the majority of the main areas we put in place to support our students, our staff and our parents.”
The response included a 15 page PowerPoint presentation, which can be read in its entirety on our website, OxfordLeader.com, or by clicking HERE.
In part, Wolf said after the initial shock of the shootings, they began a deeper relationship with the Oakland County Health Division. They also sought out other districts throughout the country who had gone through similar shootings. The district reached out to: Arapahoe High School in Littleton, Colorado; Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida; Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado; Santa Fe High School in Santa Fe, Texas; and Timberview High School in Dallas.
The district sought the advice of Dr. James Henry, co-chair of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and co-founder and project director for Western Michigan University’s Children’s Trauma Assessment Center. With Henry they had parent workshops and a parent, student town hall.
Wolf reported on the district’s existing safety measures as well as safety and security updates. The updates he presented included:
1. Secure student entrance including clear backpacks and backpack checks, ID checks, instruments and athletic bag drop off and no locker use.
2. When available increased law enforcement .
3. The use of a third party security company (Eternal Security Service) to provide controlled and secure entrance and visitor check in, student check-out process and hallway, cafeteria and common space monitors.
4 Hired retired school administrators.
5. The use web detection software Gaggle for outgoing media and GoGuardian a web detection software for incoming media.
6. Exterior door silent alarms to alert security
7. Ongoing staff training on safety procedures and threat assessment.
8. Additional communication of OK2SAY anonymous reporting tool (Michigan State Police)
9. Invitation for district parents to serve on safety committee.
The district has allowed therapy dogs in the districts for stress release, created safe room and quiet spaces as well as additional professional development and staff support and providing extra outside resources for students and staff in regards to emotional well being.
After the meeting new School Superintendent Ken Weaver sent out a message to parents in the district that started, “I wanted to share with you the information presented last night by Oxford High School Principal Steve Wolf to the school board. Mr. Wolf shared with the board the high school’s response to the November 30 tragedy and what has been done to support our high school students and staff through their healing and recovery. Mr. Wolf and his team have worked incredibly hard through the most difficult of circumstances over the past four and half months. I thank them for their commitment, compassion, and constant efforts in the healing of our school community.”
In the message Weaver included a link to watch the entire board’s April 18 meeting, youtube.com/watch?v=zzYjBfy57lM, as well as a link to read Wolf’s presentation.